Penn League Report

Jammers-Lake Monsters Notes

Jamestown won its fourth in a row behind another solid outing from their starting pitcher, this time from Mason Hope. Hope, 20, threw his longest outing of the year by going six strong innings and allowing just two runs (one earned). He picked up his first win of the season — only the second by a Jammer starter — and dropped his ERA down to 4.09.

He doesn’t throw overly hard, but good control kept him ahead of hitters most of the night. Nothing was hit real hard, either, besides a double from Bruce Maxwell.

He kept the ball inside, especially to righties, and also kept the ball low. It showed as he registered 10 outs on the groundball.

Not helped a whole lot in the first, as leadoff man Chris Bostick hit a leadoff single that probably should have been ruled an error. He then advanced to second on a passed ball from catcher Sharif Othman. But, Hope limited the damage to one run. Overall, a pretty good outing from the fifth round pick last year.

• The bullpen did another stellar job for the Jammers. Three scoreless innings from Frankie Reed and Nick Wittgren lowered the bullpen ERA to 2.19.

But, it was Wittgren nailing down his sixth save of the year to preserve the win. He’s been particularly impressive closing out games and now has a 0.77 ERA on the year. With two more strikeouts tonight, he’s now sat down 16 and is yet to walk a batter. The eight hits he’s allowed in 11.2 innings means opponents are hitting just .186 off him this year.

He throws the hardest of any Jammer, getting up around 95. It’s also evident that he’s working hard on a breaking ball. It can be a knee-buckler at times and a hanger at others. Interesting to keep an eye.

But, he’s arguably been the team’s MVP so far this year.

 • Cameron Flynn was the big stick tonight. He went 3-for-4 with his three-run homerun with two outs in the fourth standing up as the gamewinner. It was the first three-run homerun by a Jammer since the season finale in 2010, a stretch of 99 games.

Flynn fell a triple short of the cycle and really crushed two balls to leftcenter, one that was almost robbed by Vermont’s centerfielder Brett Vertigan, but fell off his glove, in for a double. He struck out on his last at bat.

Word is still out on Flynn. He was hitting just .170 (8-for-47) coming into the game with one extra-base hit. His batting average jumped 46 points thanks to the three-hit day.

 • Defensively, I have to mention Pedro Mendoza who did a marvelous job at third tonight. He had six assists on my count and showed both a solid arm and range.

It was his third straight start there after primarily playing second. Although he has virtually no power, he might stick at third for the time being if he keeps playing like that.

 • First time I got to see Vermont, the wild card leaders (until tonight) out of the Stedler Division. Bruce Maxwell, a second round pick this year out of Birmingham Southern, went 2-for-3 with a walk and looked like he had unlimited power. He mashed a double in the sixth inning to center. Certainly looked liked he was better than the .186 hitter he showed up as.

 • Also paid close attention to second baseman Chris Bostick, a second year player from nearby Rochester, N.Y. Bostick was third in the league in steals and showed his speed on the first play of the game with a slow chopper to short that Anthony Gomez had to hurry up on.

It got by Gomez and was generously ruled a hit, but it showed Bostick’s speed played a factor. He was also thrown out by a step on a potential infield single thanks to a nice play from Mendoza.

Bostick looked fine defensively as well. He has to be considered a decent prospect considering he's still only 19 years old and playing at a fairly high level here in the New York Penn League.

Game Recaps for July 11th

Brooklyn 0 – Connecticut 1
Hua-Wei Lo started on the mound for Connecticut and worked six very strong innings. He gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out five. Hunter Scantling worked a perfect inning, striking out two. Efrain Nieves struck out one in his one inning of work. Matt Davenport gave up one hit in his one inning of work. He got his first save of the year.

Julian Hilario got the start for Brooklyn and worked six good innings. He allowed one earned run on six hits and five strikeouts. Matthew Koch gave up one hit and struck out three in 1.2 innings of work. Tyler Vanderheiden worked a perfect one-third of an inning.

Jake Stewart had the best night at the plate for Connecticut, going 2-for-4 with a double and driving the only run of the game. Tyler Hanover, Danry Vasquez, Juaner Aguasvivas, Jordan Dean, and Brett Harrison all had one hit.

Alexander Sanchez paced the Cyclones batters, going 2-for-3 with a double. Phillip Evans and Kevin Plawecki both had one hit.

Vermont 2 – Jamestown 3
Andres Avila got the start, and loss, for Vermont. He worked five innings allowing three earned runs on five hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Kristopher Hall tossed two innings, giving up one hit, walking two, and striking out two. Drew Gagnier gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out one in one inning.

Mason Hope got the start on the mound for Jamestown. He worked six innings allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. He got the win. Frankie Reed worked two innings, giving up one hit. Nick Wittgren got his sixth save of the year, giving up two hits and striking out two in one inning.

Cameron Flynn had the best night at the plate for Jamestown, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and drove in three runs. Viosergy Rosa, Matt Juengel, and Jesus Solorzano all had one hit for Jamestown.

Bruce Maxwell and Jacob Tanis both had two hits for Vermont. Tanis also drove in one run. Chad Lewis drove in one run while going 1-for-4. Christopher Bostick, Brett Vertigan, Wilfredo Solano, Diomedes Lopez, and Austin Booker all had one hit.

Batavia 4 – Hudson Valley 2
Kyle Barraclough started for Batavia and worked four good innings. He gave up two hits and struck out six. Corey Baker allowed two earned runs on three hits and one strikeout in one inning. Yunier Castillo got the win for his two perfect innings of work, striking out one. Brandon Creath worked 1.2 innings giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out two. Joseph Scanio worked one-third of an inning to get the save.

Jesse Hahn got the start for Hudson Valley and went three innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Eduar Quinonez worked four innings, giving up four hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Kris Carlson gave up one earned run on one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.

Joey Rickard paced the Hudson Valley batters, going 3-for-4 and driving in a run. Deshun Dixon, Ryan Dunn, and Justin O'Conner all had one hit.

Alex Mejia, Breyvic Valera, and Jordan Walton all had two hits on the night for Batavia. Jacob Wilson, Jesus Montero, David Washington, and Steven Ramos all had one hit. Montero, Washington, Ramos, and Walton all drove in one run.

Staten Island 2 – State College 3
Jeremy Bleich worked two innings in his start for Staten Island. He gave up one hit and struck out two. Evan Rutckyj got the loss for his six innings of work. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.

Joely Rodriguez worked five innings in his start for State College. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and three strikeouts. He got his second win of the year. Adrian Sampson worked three innings giving up two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Kyle Haynes got his second save of the year, working a perfect inning.

D.J. Crumlich led the State College batters at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a run driven in. Ryan Hornback went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Jodaneli Carvajal, Barrett Barnes, and Walker Gourley all had one hit.

Matt Snyder had the best night at the plate for Staten Island, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and one run driven in. Taylor Dugas added two hits and drove in one run. Ravel Santana and Daniel Lopez both had one hit.

Tri-City 4 – Williamport 2
Joe Bircher worked six innings in his start for Tri-City. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and five strikeouts. Jeremiah Meiners got the win for his four innings of work, giving up two hits, walking one, and four strikeouts. Blake Ford got his eighth save of the year, tossing one inning. He gave up one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.

Jordan Guth got the start, and loss, in his start. He worked six innings allowing four earned runs on eight hits and three strikeouts. Andre Kiner gave up one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts in two innings. Jeb Stefan worked one inning giving up one hit and one strikeout.

Roman Quinn led the Willliamsport batters, going 3-for-5 in the game. Christopher Serritella and Larry Greene both had two hits. Logan Moore and Tyler Greene both had one hit.

Ryan Dineen had the best night at the plate for Tri-City, going 2-for-4 with a double and a home run. Tyler Heineman went 2-for-4 with a run driven in. Andrew Alpin, Austin Elkins, Dan Gulbransen, Jesse Wierzbicki, Jarrod McKinney, and Joe Sclafani all had one hit. Heineman and Sclafani both drove in a run.

Auburn 9 – Aberdeen 5
Pedro Encarnacion was hit around in his 4.2 innings of work. He allowed four runs (three earned) on ten hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Jason Smith got his third win of the year for his 1.1 innings of work. He allowed one earned run on two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Travis Henke worked two inning, striking out two. Elliott Waterman gave up two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Robert Benincasa worked a perfect one-third of an inning.

Juan Guzman worked five innings in his start for Aberdeen. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Kenneth Wise worked 1.1 innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on two hits, four walks, and one hit. Bobby Wilkins allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and one strikeout. Alex Schmarzo worked one inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Christian Walker had the best night at the plate for Aberdeen, going 2-for-5 with two runs. Jerome Pena added three hits and drove in a run himself. Joel Hutter, Torsten Boss, and Anthony Vega all had two hits on the night.

Jordan Poole led the Auburn batters, going 3-for-5 with a double and two runs driven in. Estarlin Martinez and Shawn Pleffner both had two hits on the night. Tony Renda, Wes Schill, Craig Manuel, Carlos Lopez, and Mike McQuillan all had one hit.

Mahoning Valley 4 - Lowell 5
Luis DeJesus started for Mahoning Valley and worked six innings. He allowed two earned runs on two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Cody Penny worked three innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and three strikeouts. Jack Wagoner walked one and struck out three in two innings of work. James Stokes worked 1.1 innings allowing two earned runs on two hits. Rafael Homblert gave up two hits to end the game.

Raynel Veltte worked four innings in his start for Lowell. He allowed one earned run on two hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. Yunior Ortega wokred 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and three strikeouts. Dylan Chavez worked 2.2 innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Mookie Betts and David Chester both had two hits and drove in two runs for Lowell. Matthew Gedman added three hits of his own and drove in a run. Williams Jerez added one hit as well.

Charlie Valerio had the best night at the plate for Mahoning Valley, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs driven in. Jairo Kelly and Aaron Siliga added three hits as well. Erik Gonzalez, Joe Sever, and Joseph Wendle all had one hit.

Game Recaps for July 9th

Aberdeen 2 – Tri-City 5
Mark Blackmar got the start for Aberdeen and worked 5.1 innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, four walks, and four strikeouts. Sander Beck worked 1.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and one strikeout. He got the loss, his second. Jose Nivar allowed two earned runs on one hit and four walks in one inning of work.

Juri Perez got the start on the mound for Tri-City and worked 6.2 innings. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. Travis Ballew was perfect in his 1.1 innings of work. He got his third win of the year. Blake Ford worked one inning, walking one and striking out one. He got his seventh save of the year.

Jesse Wierzbicki had the best night at the plate for Tri-City, going 2-for-4 with a home run. Jarrod McKinney added two hits and drove in a run. Joe Sclafani drove in two runs while going 1-for-4. Andrew Alpin and Austin Elkins both had one hit each.

Christian Walker paced the Aberdeen batters at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Doug Bream and Creede Simpson both had two hits. Anthony Vega added one hit.

Jamestown 5 – Brooklyn 2
Ramon Del Orbe started for Jamestown and went five good innings. He gave up two hits, walked two, and struck out four. Brian Ellington got the win for his two innings of work. He allowed two earned runs on two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Jheyson Manzueta walked one and struck out one in one-third of an inning. Nick Wittgren got his fifth save of the year, striking out two in 1.2 innings of work.

Hansel Robles worked 5.1 strong innings in his start for Brooklyn. He allowed one earned run on three hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. David Wynn walked one and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning. Matthew Bowman allowed two earned runs on two hits and one strikeout in 1.1 innings of work. John Mincone gave up one hit in two-thirds of an inning of work. Timothy Peterson allowed two earned runs on four hits in one inning of work.

Phillip Evans had the best night at the plate for Brooklyn, going 1-for-4 with two runs driven in. Juan Carlos Gamboa, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeffrey Glenn all had one hit.

Yefri Perez paced the Jamestown batters at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs driven in. Juancito Martinez added two hits and drove in one run. Pedro Mendoz, Jesus Solorzano, and Viosergy Rosa each had one hit and drove in one run.

Williamsport 4 – Staten Island 9
Nicholas Hanson struggled in his start for Williamsport. He worked three innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Matthew Sisto worked 2.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned), three hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Steven Inch allowed two unearned runs on two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings. Geoff Broussard walked one and struck out two in one inning of work.

Gabriel Encinas got the start, and win, for Staten Island. He went five innings allowing one earned run on four hits, three walks, and one strikeout. Dietrich Enns worked one inning giving up two hits and striking out one. James Pazos allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Charles Basford was perfect in two-thirds of an inning. Taylor Garrison worked one inning giving up one hit and striking out two.

Saxon Butler had the best night at the dish for Staten Island, going 2-for-2 with a double, home run, and three runs driven in. Ravel Santana and Exicardo Cayones both had two hits and drove in two runs. Claudio Custodio drove in one run with his one hit on the night.

Yan Olmo paced the Williamsport hitters, going 3-for-4 in the game. Larry Greene and Christopher Serritella both had two hits. Cameron Perkins, Mitch Walding, and Tyler Greene all had one hit on the night.

Connecticut 5 – Mahoning Valley 4
Jake Sisco started for Mahoning Valley and worked six quality innings. He gave up four hits, walked one, and struck out four. Robbie Aviles allowed two earned runs on three hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Louis Head allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, one walk, and one strikeout in two innings.

Charles Gillies started for Connecticut and went four innings. He allowed four earned runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Josh Turley gave up three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts in three innings. William Clinard got the win for his two innings of work. He gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out three.

Tyler Naquin led the Mahoning Valley batters at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two runs driven in. Jairo Kelly and Evan Frazar both had two hits on the night. Aaron Siliga, Richard Stock, and Robel Garcia all had one hit each.

Jordan Dean, Devon Travis, and Tyler Hanover all had two hits and one run driven in for Connecticut. Jake Stewart added two hits of his own. Danry Vasquez, Patrick Smith, and Bennett Pickar all had one hit.

Hudson Valley 4 – Auburn 1
Jeff Ames got the start, and win, for Hudson Valley. He worked five innings allowing one earned run on three hits and four strikeouts. Brandon Henderson gave up two hits and struck out four in 2.2 innings. Ryan Garton was perfect in his 1.1 innings of work, striking out two.

Blake Monar started on the mound for Auburn and worked 5.1 innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Cody Davis gave up three hits and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning. Derek Self gave up one hit and struck out two in two innings of work. Elliott Waterman allowed two earned runs on one hit, two walks, and three strikeouts in one inning of work.

Craig Manuel had the best night at the plate for Auburn, going 2-for-4. Tony Renda, Estralin Martinez, and Spencer Kieboom all had one hit for Auburn. Kieboom drove in the only Auburn run.

Ryan Dunn paced the Hudson Valley batters at the plate, going 1-for-5 with a double and driving in three runs. Joey Rickard, Thomas Coyle, and Joel Caminero all had two hits on the night. Michael Williams, Jake DePew, and Leonard Reginatto all had one hit each.

Lowell 2 – Batavia 10
Pat Light started for Lowell and worked two innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Zachary Good allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks in 2.2 innings. Tyler Wilson worked 1.1 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits and one strikeout. Braden Kapteyn allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk in one inning. Kyle Kraus gave up two hits and struck out two in one inning.

Brian O'Shea got the start, and win, for Batavia. He worked six innings giving up three hits and striking out three. Dyllon Nuernberg allowed one earned run on one hit and one strikeout in one inning. Lee Stoppleman worked a perfect inning. Bradon Creath allowed one earned run on one hit and three strikeouts in one inning.

David Bergin had the best night at the plate for Batavia, going 3-for-3 with three doubles and four runs driven in. Breyvic Valera, Patrick Wisdom, Jonathan Keener, and Steven Ramos all had two hits on the night.

David Chester drove in one run for Lowell with his only hit on the night, a home run. It was his third of the season. Mike Miller, Deven Marrero, Kendrick Perkins, and Williams Jerez all had one hit for Lowell.

State College 1 – Vermont 2
Jason Creasy worked five strong innings in his start for State College. He allowed one earned run on five hits and one strikeout. Emmanuel De Leon worked two innings giving up two hits, walking one, and striking out four. Logan Penvy allowed one earned run on one hit, two walks, and one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Jordan Cooper closed out the last one-third of an inning.

Julio Ramos was nearly perfect in his start for Vermont. He tossed three innings walking one and striking out one. Deyvi Jiminez worked three innings allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out one. Seth Streich gave up one hit and struck out one in one inning. Ryan Dull got the win for his perfect inning of work. Tucker Healy gave up one hit and walked one in one-third of an inning. Nate Eppley got the save for his two-thirds of an inning of work, striking out one.

Miguel Marte and Sam Roberts both had two hits on the night for Vermont. John Wooten, Wilfredo Solano, Diomedes Lopez, and Jensi Peralta all had one hit on the night. Wooten and Marte both drove in a run.

Walker Gourley had the best night at the plate for State College, going 2-for-4. Ryan Hornback, Chris Diaz, and Jacob Stallings all had one hit for the Spikes.

 

Game Recaps for July 8th

Lowell 2 – Batavia 4
Mike Augliera was good in his two inning start for Lowell. He gave up one hit and struck out one. Francisco Taveras worked four innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits, four walks, and six strikeouts. He got the loss. Gregory Larson was perfect in his two innings, striking out four.

Joe Cuda got the start for Batavia and worked six innings. He gave up five hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Jose Almarante allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two strikeouts in one inning.
Joseph Scanio got the save for his two innings, striking out one and giving up one hit.

Alex Meija led the Batavia batters at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double. Patrick Wisdom drove in two runs while going 1-for-4 with a double. David Bergin and Steven Ramos both drove in one run with one hit.

Deven Marrero was perfect at the plate for Lowell, going 3-for-3 with a run driven in. Mike Miller added three hits of his own. Williams Jerez went 2-for-4 on the night.

Williamsport 11 – Staten Island 8
Taylor Morton started for Staten Island and was shelled in two innings of work. He allowed ten runs on eight hits and two walks. Derek Varndore worked three innings, giving up three hits, walking two, and striking out two. Evan DeLuca tossed two innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks. Dietrich Enns gave up one hit and struck out two in two innings.

Josh Warner got the start, and win, in his start for Willliamsport. He worked five innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. James Birmingham allowed four earned runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Jeb Stefan worked 2.1 innings giving up one hit and striking out two. Zach Cooper gave up one hit and struck out two in one inning.

Saxon Butler paced the Staten Island batters, going 2-for-5 with a double, home run, and two runs driven in. Claudio Custodio added three hits of his own. Matt Snyder, Taylor Dugas, and Matthew Durran all had one hit.

Brian Pointer had the best night at the plate for Williamsport, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and driving in six. Larry Greene had three hits of his own. Mitch Walding and Zach Taylor both had two hits.

Aberdeen 10 – Tri-City 5
David Richardson started for Aberdeen and went five innings. He allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Alex Schmarzo walked one in two innings. Bobby Wilkins allowed one earned run on four hits and two strikeouts.

Brian Holmes struggled in his start for Tri-City allowing seven earned runs on six hits, four walk, and four strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Juan Minaya worked 1.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and three strikeouts. Jamaine Cotton worked three innings, giving up two hits and striking out five.
John Neely tossed on inning, giving up two hits and allowing one unearned run.

Joe Sclafani drove in two runs while going 2-for-4. Andrew Alpin had three hits on the night. Jesse Wierzbicki drove in one run with his one hit.

Roberto Ortiz drove in three runs while going 2-for-4 with a double. Joel Hutter and Jerome Pena both had two hits and drove in two runs. Torsten Boss and Roderick Bernabina both drove in one run with one hit.

Jamestown 5 – Brooklyn 2
Helpi Reyes started for Jamestown and worked five innings. He allowed one earned run on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Jake Esch worked four innings allowing one earned run on one hit, one walk, and six strikeouts.

Luis Cessa worked 5.2 innings in his start for Brooklyn. He allowed two earned runs on four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Beck Wheeler allowed three earned runs on two hits, two walks, and one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Ernesto Yanez worked 2.2 innings, giving up two hits and one strikeout.

Jayce Boyd had the best night at the plate for Brooklyn, going 2-for-3 with a run driven in. Stefan Sabol, Kevin Plawecki, and Cole Frenzel all had one hit on the night.

Viosergy Rosa paced the Jamestown batters going 1-for-4 driving in two runs. Yefri Perez, Felix Munoz, and Juancito Martinez all had two hits on the night. Pedro Mendoza, Felix Munoz, and Juancito Martinez all drove in one run.

Connecticut 4 – Mahoning Valley 5
Endry Briceno started for Connecticut and went 3.2 innings. He allowed four earned runs on four hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Angel Nesbitt tossed 3.1 innings, giving up four hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Eric Heckaman allowed one earned run on two walks and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings. He got the loss. Joe Rogers gave up one hit to end the game.

Geoffrey Davenport went six innings in his start for Mahoning Valley. He allowed one earned run on six hits and three strikeouts. James Stokes allowed two earned runs on two hits and one walk in one inning. Rafael Homblert worked one inning allowing one earned run on two hits and one walk. Enosil Tejeda gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out one in two innings. Jack Wagoner worked one inning giving up one hit and struck out one.

Aaron Siliga had the best night at the plate for Mahoning Valley, going 3-for-5 with two runs driven in. Tyler Naquin and Charlie Valerio both had one hit and one run driven in. Robel Garcia and Juan Romero both had one hit.

Jordan Dean, Devon Travis, and Tyler Hanover all had two hits on the night for Connecticut. Danry Vasquez, Jordan Dean, and Zach Kirksey all drove in one run.

Hudson Valley 7 - Auburn 2
Taylor Guerrieri worked three innings in his start for Hudson Valley, giving up one hit and striking out two. Jose Molina worked three innings, giving up three hits and one strikeout. Dylan Floro worked two innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits and one strikeout. Shay Crawford allowed one earned run on one hit in one inning.

Taylor Jordan worked three innings for his start for Auburn. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and four strikeouts. Brian Rauh allowed one earned run on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in five innings. John Peters worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing one earned run on one hit and one walk. Bryan Harper allowed two earned runs on four hits in one-third of an inning.
Carlos Alvarez paced the Auburn batters,going 3-for-4 with a double. Jordan Poole drove in a run while going 1-for-2. Tony Renda, Shawn Pleffner, and Stephen Perez all had one hit.

Thomas Coyle led the Hudson Valley batters, going 2-for-5 with two runs driven in. Deshun Dixon, Ryan Dunn, and Justin O'Conner all had two hits. Marty Gantt added three hits of his own. O'Conner, Jake DePew, Dunn, Dixon, and Leonardo Reginatto all drove in one run.

State College 2 – Vermont 8
Clay Holmes started for State College and worked five good innings. He allowed one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts. Josh Smith worked 1.1 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and one strikeout. Kyle Haynes worked two-thirds of an inning allowing five earned runs on six hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Pat Ludwig worked one inning giving up one hit and one strikeout.

Tyler Vail started on the mound for Vermont and worked four innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Logan Chitwood gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out one in two innings. Stuart Pudenz worked two perfect innings, striking out two. Austin House walked one and struck out one in one inning.

Rhett Stanford had the best night of the Vermont hitters, going 2-for-4 with three runs driven in. Austin Booker drove in two runs while going 1-for-3. Wilfredo Solano and Chad Lewis both had two hits on the night.

Ryan Hornback and D.J. Crumlich both had two hits on the night for State College. Samuel Gonzalez and Alex Fuselier both had one hit on the night.

 

Game Recaps for July 7th

Jamestown 6 - Brooklyn 3
Matt Millroy started on the mound for Jamestown and worked four innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. Frankie Reed got his first win of the year for his three innings of work. He gave up one hit and struck out one. Nick Wittgren got his fourth save of the year, allowing one earned run on three hits and two strikeouts in two innings.

Luis Mateo got the loss in his start for Brooklyn. He tossed six innings allowing four earned runs on seven hits and eight strikeouts. Paul Sewald worked two innings giving up two hits and two strikeouts. Darwin Frias worked one inning allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits.

Juan Carlos Gamboa led the Brooklyn batters, going 2-for-5 with a double. Dimas Ponce, Stefan Sabol, and Brandon Nimmo all drove in a run and had one hit.

Anthony Gomez paced the Jamestown hitters, going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs. Jesus Solorzano, Juancito Martinez, and Viosergy Rosa all had two hits.

State College 2 – Vermont 4
J.C. Menna started on the mound for Vermont and worked six innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Kristopher Hall worked two innings, walking one and striking out five. Tucker Healy got the win for his one inning of work, giving up one hit and striking out two.

Luis Heredia got the start for State College, working five innings allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Lance Breedlove worked two perfect innings, striking out two.
Thomas Harlan got the loss, his third of the season for his 2.2 innings of work. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and four strikeouts.

Wilfredo Solano had the best night at the plate for Vermont, going 2-for-4 with a run driven in. Christopher Bostick, Brett Vertigan, Bruce Maxwell, Chad Lewis, and Dayton Alexander all had one hit.

Chris Diaz led the State College batters, going 2-for-4. Jodaneli Carvajal, D.J. Crumlich, and Alex Fuselier all added on hit each.

Lowell 0 - Batavia 3
Tyler Melling started for Batavia and went six innings. He gave up seven hits and struck out five. Kevin Jacob worked two innings, walking one batter. Yunier Castillo gave up one hit and struck out two in two innings. He got his third save of the year.

Justin Haley worked two perfect innings in his start for Lowell, striking out two. William Cuevas worked four innings allowing three earned runs on six hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Leandro Marin worked two innings, walking one and striking out three.

Batavia was led at the plate by Patrick Wisdom, going 2-for-3 with a double. David Washington drove in two runs while going 1-for-3. Jesus Montero, Steven Ramos, and Alex Mejia all had one hit on the night.

Mike Miller and Aneury Tavarez both had two hits on the night for Lowell. Deven Marrero, J.T. Watkins, Williams Jerez, and Zach Kapstein all had one hit on the night.

Connecticut 3 - Mahoning Valley 5
Edgar De La Rosa started for Connecticut and struggled through 4.1 innings. He allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Alex Philips worked 1.2 perfect innings, striking out one. Jake Sabol worked one inning, giving up two hits. Tim Kelley tossed one inning, giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out two.

Josh Martin started for Mahoning Valley and went five innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five and three strikeouts. Jacob Lee worked three innings, giving up two hits and striking out three. Luis Head struck out one in his one inning of work.

Marcus Bradley and Aaron Siliga both had three hits on the night for Mahoning Valley. Siliga also drove in one run. Jairo Kelly drove in two runs while collecting one hit on the night. Charlie Valerio, Mitch Nilsson, and Hunter Jones all had one hit.

Danry Vasquez had the best night at the plate for Connecticut, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs driven in. Tyler Hanover and Jordan Dean both had one hit. Bennett Pickar had two hits of his own.

Aberdeen 2 - Tri-City 8
Jaime Esquivel started on the mound for Aberdeen. He went three innings allowing six runs (four earned) on three hits and six walks. Kenneth Wise worked two innings, giving up three hits, walking one, and striking out one. Enrico Jimenez tossed three innings, allowing two unearned runs on one hit, five walks, and one strikeout.

Aaron West got the start for Tri-City and worked five good innings. He gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out three. Lance Day worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Kenny Long worked 1.1 innings, striking out two. Brad Propst worked two innings, giving up one hit.

Tyler Heineman and Andrew Alpin both had two hits for Tri-City. Alpin also drove in two runs. Nieko Johnson, Jesse Wierzbicki, and Joe Sclafani all had one hit on the night.

Torsten Boss had the best night at the plate for Aberdeen, going 2-for-3 and driving in two runs. Anthony Vega, Creede Simpson, Roderick Bernadina, and Will Howard all had one hit.

Williamsport 4 - Staten Island 7
Delvin Perez started for Williamsport, struggling through three innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on three hits, six walks, and one strikeout. Jonathan Musser tossed three innings, giving up one hit and walking two. Andre Kiner gave up one hit, walked two, and struck out two in two innings.
Corey Black got the start on them mound for Staten Island and worked 2.2 innings. He allowed two unearned runs on two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Alex Smith worked 1.1 perfect innings. Tim Flight tossed four innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Eric Erickson got the save, striking out one in his one inning of work.

Peter O'Brien and Claudio Custodio both had one hit and drove in two runs for Staten Island. Taylor Dugas, Wes Wilson, and Jose Rosario all had one hit.

Christopher Serritella and Yan Olmo both had two hits for Williamsport. Serritella drove in two runs with his fourth home run of the year. Cameron Perkins, Brian Pointer, and Roman Quinn all had one hit.

Hudson Valley 7 - Auburn 8
Sean Bierman started on the mound for Hudson Valley and went five innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Ian Kendall worked 2.2 innings allowing two earned runs on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Marcus Jensen worked 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. He took the loss. Rob Finneran gave up one hit in his outing.

Brett Mooneyham went 1.2 innings in his start for Auburn, giving up one hit, walking two, and striking out two. Silvio Medina allowed five runs (one earned) on four hits, four walks, and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Robert Benincasa worked 1.1 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits and three strikeouts. Travis Henke got the win for his 2.1 innings of work, giving up one hit, walking thee, and striking out one.

Wander Ramos led the Auburn batters, going 2-for-3 with a double, home run, and two runs driven in. Estarlin Martinez and Shawn Pleffner added two hits. Angelberth Montilla added three hits of his own.

Leonardo Reginatto, Deshun Dixon, Justin O'Conner all had two hits on the day for Hudson Valley. Luke Maile drove in three runs while going 1-for-3. Marty Gantt, Thomas Coyle, and Charles Epperson all had one hit on the night.

Game Recaps for July 6th

State College 3 – Tri-City 1
Jake Burnett started for State College and worked five good innings. He allowed one earned run on five hits and two strikeouts. Dalton Friend worked three innings, giving up one hit and two strikeouts. Logan Pevny got the save, giving up one hit in his one inning of work.

Vincent Velasquez worked five innings in his start for Tri-City. He allowed three run (two earned) on five hits, three walks and four strikeouts. Jeremiah Meiners worked three innings, walking one and striking out two. Blake Ford walked one and struck out one in his one inning.

Jesse Wierzbicki collected two hits, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a run driven in. Andrew Alpin also had two hits. Dan Gulbransen, Jarrod McKinney, M.P. Cokinos all had one hit for Tri-City.

State College was led at the plate by Barrett Barnes, going 2-for-3 with a home run and one run driven in. Jacob Stallings, Walker Gourley, Jodaneli Carvajal all had one hit.

Connecticut 3- Batavia 4
Montreal Robertson started for Connecticut and got the loss. He worked 6.2 innings allowing four earned runs on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Matt Davenport worked the next 1.1 innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Ben Freeman started on the mound for Batavia and went 5.1 innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Corey Baker got the win for his 1.2 innings of work, giving up one hit and striking out two. Lee Stoppelman got his second save of the year. He went two innings giving up two hits and striking out four.

Jacob Wilson paced the Batavia hitters, going 2-for-4 on the night. Gary Apelian drove in two runs with his only hit of the night, a home run. Matthew Young and Jesus Montero both drove in one run.

Tyler Hanover and Patrick Smith both went 2-for-4 on the night for Connecticut. Jake Stewart went 1-for-5, slugging his second home run of the year. Devon Travis and Luis Cortez both collected one hit on the night.

Jamestown 0 – Staten Island 3
Blake Logan started for Jamestown and worked four innings. He gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out three. Ryan Newell got the loss for his two-thirds of an inning of work, allowing one earned run on one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts. Beau Wright worked 1.1 innings, giving up one hit, walking two, and striking out two. Bryan Berglun walked two and struck out two in his one inning of work. Miguel Fermin worked one inning, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and one walk.

Jeremy Bleich worked two innings in his start for Staten Island tonight. He gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out two. Andrew Benak got the win for his five innings of work. He gave up three hits, walked one, and struck out three. James Pazos walked one and struck out one in one inning of work. Tyler Garrison worked one perfect inning.

Daniel Lopez had the best night at the plate for State Island, going 2-for-4 with a triple and driving in three runs. Taylor Dugas, Exicardo Cayones, and Matthew Duran all added one hit.

Yefri Perez, Viosergy Rosa, Kentrell Dewitt, and Juancito Martinez all had one hit for Jamestown.

Hudson Valley 3 – Vermont 5
Matthew Span got the start, and loss, for Hudson Valley tonight. He worked six innings allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and one strikeout. Jose Molina gave up one hit and struck out one in one inning of work. Kris Carlson worked a perfect inning.

Brent Powers got the start for Vermont and went three innings. He allowed one unearned run on three hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Seth Streich worked 1.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Nate Eppley got the two inning save, allowing one unearned run on on hit and three strikeouts.

Christopher Bostick, Brett Vertigan, and Wilfredo Solano all had two hits on the night for Vermont. Solano also drove in a run. Jacon Tanis drove in two runs while going 1-for-4 at the plate. Dayton Alexander also drove in a run for Vermont.

Thomas Coyle and Ryan Dunn both had two hits for Hudson Valley. Jake DePew, Deshun Dixon, Leonardo Reginatto, and Marty Gantt all had one hit for HudsonValley.

Lowell 6 – Auburn 7
Raynel Velette started for Lowell and worked 4.2 innings. He allowed two earned runs on three hits, five walks, and four strikeouts. Tyler Wilson worked 2.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Dylan Chavez was handed his second loss for his 1.1 innings of work. He allowed three unearned runs on three hits and two strikeouts.

Nicholas Lee started on the mound for Auburn and worked 5.1 innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Cody Davis worked two innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Elliott Watterman got the win for his 1.2 innings of work, giving up one hit and striking out two.

Estarlin Martinez had the best night at the plate for Auburn, going 2-for-5 with a double and three runs driven in. Shawn Pleffner added three hits of his own. Carlos Alvarez added two hits as well.

J.T. Watkins made the most of his one hit for Lowell, driving in three with his first home run of the year. Deven Marrero and Mike Miller both added two hits on the night. Kendrick Perkins and Jason Thompson both had one hit on the night.

Aberdeen 7 – Mahoning Valley 6
Sebastian Vader started for Aberdeen and worked three innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits, two walk, and two strikeouts. Sander Beck also went three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Bobby Wilkins tossed two innings, giving up two this, walking one, and three strikeouts. He got the win. Jose Nivar worked one inning, allowing one earned run on two hits, one walk, and one strikeout. He got the save.

Ryan Merritt struggled in his 3.2 innings of work for Mahoning Valley. He allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Cody Penny worked 2.1 perfect innings, striking out one. Jack Wagoner worked two innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one strikeout. Enosil Tejeda worked one inning, allowing one earned run on one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.

Joseph Wendle led Mahoning Valley at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double. Charlier Valerio went 3-for-4 with a run driven in. Marcus Bradley, Jairo Kelly, and Joe Sever all had one hit.
Roderick Bernadina and Creede Simpson both had three hits on then night for Aberdeen. Bernadina also drove in three runs. Torsten Boss drove in two runs with a pinch-hit home run, his third. Joel Hutter and Roberton Ortiz both added one hit.

Williamsport 6 – Brooklyn 7
Luis Gonzalez started for Williamsport and went five innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Nicholas Hanson worked 1.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on one hit and two strikeouts. Geoff Broussard tossed 2.1 innings, giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out two. James Birmingham got the loss for his 1.1 innings of work, allowing one earned run on one hit, three walks, and one strikeout.

Gabriel Ynoa tossed six innings in his start for Brooklyn, allowing six earned runs on eight hits and six strikeouts. Beck Wheeler gave up one hit and one strikeout in one inning. David Wynn worked two innings, walking two and striking out three. John Mincone got the win for his two perfect innings of work, striking out five.

Brooklyn hitters were led at the plate by Kevin Plaweck, going 2-for-4. Brandon Nimmo added two hits as he saw his average climb above .200. Jayce Boyd, Eudy Pina, and Richie Rodriguez all added one hit.

Chace Numata led the Williamsport hitters, going 2-for-5. Christopher Serritella hit his third home run of the year with his only hit of the night. Mitch Walding, Roman Quinn, Larry Greene, Zach Taylor, and Steven Malcom all had one hit.

 

State College Spikes' Standout Position Players

by Matthew Coller

I recently had a chance to watch the State College Spikes. Here's a look at a few position players that stood out:

DJ Crumlich

Crumlich only has one plus tool, but it's a good one to have: hitting for average. The UC Irvine product is a mature hitter with a good approach and good hands to go along. He can work walks and force pitchers into deep counts. Crumlich has a little pop, but still below average power and average speed. I question whether he can play any infield position at an average level – maybe second base. His arm is solid, but range is slightly below average, though his footwork and instincts are decent. Crumlich is one of those guys who could make himself into a good utility infielder if he works hard and makes adjustments at higher levels.

Jordaneli Carvajal

Carvajal, just 20-years-old, is a speedy, athletic, slap-hitting second baseman with some potential. He's undersized, more in the mold of second baseman of 20 years ago – small, quick, good hands at the plate, with a hit-to-get-on-base mentality. Once on base, he's a threat to steal with plus speed and is an extremely aggressive base runner. Carvajal has little-to-no power, but can be a pain to pitch against. His quick hands and good hand-eye coordination allow him to foul off pitch after pitch. However, he will chase when down in the count. Considering Carvajal's age, it's likely he'll grow as a hitter in terms of approach. At best, though, he'll hit .250-.260 with fewer than five home runs.

In the field, expect him to get to some extra baseballs, but also make too many errors. It's not clear that he can handle the routine plays night after night. Though that also may come with age and maturity.

Chris Diaz

There were questions as to whether Diaz, an 11^th round pick by the Pirates, would play shortstop or second base. From my time watching the NC State product, I have no idea where those questions came from. He has polished footwork moving up the middle, into the gap and around the bag. His arm is average, but he has a quick release. You could say the same for his range – that it's a little above average. His hands, though, are outstanding. The routine doublt plays are made easily, harder plays are made to look routine and he does not panic when runners are bearing down. Overall, he could translate into an average to above average defensive shortstop.

At the plate, Diaz projects to a below average hitter in terms of average and power, but does have the ability to work counts and walks. Diaz's speed isn't blazing, but he has excellent instincts on the basepaths, allowing him to get very good jumps and steal bases at a high rate.

Barrett Barnes

The former Texas Tech outfielder has the ability to hit .280 to .300 with a short, sound swing and quick hands. He can pull the hands in to hit inside fastballs to left field and extend them to drive outside pitches up the middle. The most questionable of the five tools is his power, which seems unlikely to translate to the professional level. Barnes doesn't have an impressive follow through that would help drive the ball to the gaps and out of the ballpark.

Barnes' speed is plus-plus, getting down the line with the best of right-handed hitters and his instincts on the basepaths are decent. Expect him to consistently steal 20 or more bases.

In the outfield, Barnes gets solid reads and uses his speed to close on line drives in the gap. He has average range for a center fielder, though if he's moved to left would have plus range. His arm is above average for a center fielder, average if he's in right or left. Overall, if Barnes can develop a more power-friendly swing at the pro level, he could be a starter. If not, more likely to be a fourth outfielder type.

Jacob Stallings

Behind the plate, Stallings' mechanics (blocking, framing etc.) are sound. Despite being 6-foot-5, he moves well and can get down to block pitches inside and out. His arm is plus, maybe a little bit more, with a fairly quick release time.

The problem? At the plate Stallings has little-to-no approach. He's willing to swing at almost anything and is far, far from patient. Even if he hit .250, his on-base percentage would end up being under .300. Despite his size, his downward swing translates into many more ground balls than long balls.

Game Recaps for July 5th

Jamestown 1 - Staten Island 2
Mason Hope started for Jamestown and worked five innings. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and two strikeouts. He was handed his second loss of the season. Jake Esch worked three innings, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out one.

Evan Rutckyj worked six innings in his start for Staten Island tonight. He allowed one earned run on four hits, one walk and four strikeouts. He upped his record to 2-1 on the year. Conor Mullee did not record an out, nor give up a hit, walk, run, or strikeout before being lifted. Dietrich Enns worked two innings, striking out two. James Pazos got the save, striking out one in one inning of work.

Matt Snyder led the Staten Island batters, going 2-for-3. Saxon Butler drove in a run, going 1-for-3 on the night and hitting his fourth home run of the year. Claudio Custodio, Exicardo Cayones, Isaias Tejada, and Ravel Santan all had one hit each.

Yefri Perez and Pedro Mendoza both had two hits tonight. They were the only Jamestown batters to record a hit.

State College 2 - Tri-City 1
Joely Rodriguez started on the mound for State College and worked five innings, giving up one hit and striking out one. Emmanuel De Leon worked two innings, allowing one earned run on three hits. Jordan Cooper struck out one in his one inning of work.

Brady Rodgers started for Tri-City going 4.1 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, three walks and six strikeouts. Travis Ballew worked 3.2 innings, giving up one hit, walking one and striking out three. Kenny Long walked one and struck out two in his two innings of work.

Austin Elkins paced the Tri-City hitters on the night, going 3-for-4. Jesse Wierzbicki and Jarrod McKinney were the only other ValleyCat hitters to get a hit.

Barret Barnes and Samuel Gonzalez both had two hits on the night for State College. Jodaneli Carvajal and Walker Gourley both had one hit in the game. Carvajal and Barnes drove in the two runs for State College.

Hudson Valley 6 - Vermont 0
Reinaldo Lopez got the start, and win, for Hudson Valley. He tossed five innings giving up four hits and striking out four. Brandon Henderson worked 2.1 innings, giving up four hits and striking out four. Ryan Garton worked 1.2 perfect innings, striking out four.

Andres Avila struggled in his start for Vermont tonight. He went five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Drew Gagnier worked 2.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, two walks and one strikeout. Kurt Wunderlich tossed 1.1 innings, striking out one.

Austin Booker and Bruce Maxwell both had two hits on the night for Vermont. Kelvin Rojas and Brett Vertigan both added one hit each.

Deshun Dixon paced the Hudson Valley batters at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run driven in. Justin O'Conner hit his second home run of the year for his only hit of the night, a three-run shot. Luke Maile, Thomas Coyle, Joel Caminero, and Leonardo Reginatto all had one hit each.

Williamsport 5 - Brooklyn 4
Jordan Guth started for Williamsport and tossed five good innings. He allowed one unearned run on three hits and two strikeouts. He got the win. Matthew Sisto worked one inning, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and one strikeout. Zach Cooper allowed one earned run on one hit, three walks and two strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Jeb Stefan got the save, striking out two in two-thirds of an inning of work.

Rainy Lara got mixed results in his start for Brooklyn. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits, one walk and nine strikeouts. Beck Wheeler worked one inning, walking one batter. Timothy Peterson allowed one unearned run on three hits, one walk and one strikeout. Tyler Vanderheiden worked one inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Juan Carlos Gamboa led the Brooklyn batters, going 2-for-5 with a home run and a run driven in. Brandon Nimmo, Cole Frenzel, and Stefan Sabol, Jayce Boyd, and Jonathan Clark all had one hit each.

Larry Greene and Roman Quinn both had three hits in the game for Williamsport. Christoper Serritella, Cameron Perkins, and Mitch Walding all had two hits on the night. Serritella also drove in three runs.

Connecticut 2 - Batavia 8
Jack Duffey got the start, and loss, for Connecticut tonight. He worked three innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, two walk, and two strikeouts. William Clinard worked three innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and two strikeouts. Efrain Nieves struggled in his two innings of work, allowing three earned runs on three hits and one strikeout.

Tim Cooney got the start for Batavia and worked two innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits and four strikeouts. Kyle Helisek got the win for his four strong innings of work, giving up four hits and striking out three. Dyllon Nuernber worked one inning, giving up one hit. Brandon Creath struck out two in his one inning.

Breyvic Valera led the Muckdogs hitters at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a run driven in. Jacob Wilson and Jesus Montero both added two hits each. Mondtero and Patrick Wisdom both drove in two runs. Matthew Young, Jacob Wilson, Breyvic Valera, and Jonathan Keener all drove in one run.

Jordan Dean, Jake Stewart, and Tyler Hanover all had two hits on the night for Connecticut. Juaner Aguasvivas and Devon Travis both added one hit.

Aberdeen 4 - Mahoning Valley 11
Cameron Coffey struggled in his start for Aberdeen tonight. He went two innnings, allowing five earned runs on six hits and four strikeouts. Dustin Ward did not fare much better, allowing six earned runs on five hits, four walks and three strikeouts in two innings. Alex Schmarzo worked four innings, givnig up on hit and striking out one.

Luis DeJesus got the start, and win, for Mahoning Valley. He worked five innings allowing one earned run on five hits, four walks and one strikeout. Luis Encarnacion did not pitch well in his one inning of work, allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk. Louis Head tossed two perfect innings, striking out two. James Stokes worke one inning to close out the game.

Jairo Kelly, Joe Sever, Aaron Siliga, and Robel Garcia all had two hits in the game. Jairo Kelly and Rober Garcia both drove in two runs. Juan Romero drove in three runs while going 1-for-3 with a triple.

Lowell 1 - Auburn 9
David Fischer was nearly perfect in his start for Auburn tonight. He turned in four innings walking one and striking out two. Jason Smith got his second win of the year for his three innings of work, allowing one earned run on two hits and one strikeout. John Peters walked one and struck out one in his two innings.

Yunior Ortega went five innings in his start for Lowell, allowing three earned runs on five hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. He got the loss. Jadd Schmeltzer was shelled in his one-third of an inning, allowing seven earned runs on five hits and two walks. Braden Kapetn tossed 2.2 innings giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out three.

Craig Manuel paced the Auburn batters at the plate, going 3-for-4 while driving in a run. Jordan Poole and Stephen Perez both added two hits. Carlos Alvarez and Shawn Pleffner both drove in two runs.

Mookie Betts led the Lowell batters at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and a run driven in. Kendrick Perkins was the only other Lowell batter to record a hit.

 

Game Recaps for July 3rd

Batavia 6 – State College 2
Ben O'shea got the start on the mound for Batavia and went 5.1 inning. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two strikeouts. Kevin Jacob got his second win of the season for his 1.2 innings of work, he struck out one batter. Yunier Castillo got his third save, giving up one hit, walking one and striking out one in two innings.

Jason Creasy started for State College and worked five innings. He allowed two earned runs on four hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Thomas Harlan was handed his second loss for his 2.2 innings of work. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and two strikeouts. Logan Pevny worked 1.1 innings allowing one earned run on three hits.

Samuel Gonzalez had the best day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and driving in two runs. Ryan Hornback also had two hits. Roddarick Jones went 1-for-3 with a double.

Matthew Young paced the Batavia hitters going 1-for-3 with a triple and two runs driven in. Patrick Wisdom, Jesus Montero, Jordan Walton, and Breyvic Valera all had two hits for the Muckdogs.

Mahoning Valley 3 – Williamsport 1
Geoffrey Davenport started for Mahoning Valley and worked 5.1 innings. He allowed one unearned run on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts. Jacob Lee worked 1.2 innings, walking one and striking out three. He got his second win. Enosil Tejada got the save, giving up one hit and striking out three in two innings.

Josh Warner worked seven very good innings in his start for Williamsport. He gave up three hits, walked one and struck out seven. Steven Inch struggled in 1.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two strikeouts. He got the loss. Jeb Stefan worked two-thirds of an inning, walking three and striking out one.

Brian Pointer and Diego Gonzalez both collected two hits on the night for Williamsport. Roman Quinn, Cameron Perkins, and Larry Greene all had one hit.

Jeremy Lucas had two hits for Mahoning Valley. Juan Romero hit his league leading fifth home run of the year. Tyler Naquin and Marcus Bradley both had one hit each. Naquin drove in two runs.

Tri-City 7 - Lowell 2
Juri Perez worked seven innings in his start for Tri-City. He gave up seven hits, walked two, and struck out six. Juan Minaya could not get an out before being lifted, giving up two earned runs on two hits and one walk. Jamaine Cotton walked two in his two innings of work. He got the win.

Mike Augliera got the start for Lowell and worked two innings, giving up one hit and striking out four. Francisco Taveras worked five innings, giving up two hits, walking two and striking out four. Dylan Chavez fell apart in his one inning of work, giving up seven runs (four earned) on three hits and two strikeouts. Jadd Schmeltzer worked one inning, giving up one hit and one strikeout.

Kendrick Perkins led the Lowell batters, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run driven in. J.T. Wakins added two hits. Jason Thompson and Mike Miller both had one hit each.

Tri-City was led at the plate by Ryan Dineen, going 2-for-4 with two runs driven in. Austin Elkins, Andrew Alpin, Jarrod MicKinney, Emilio King, and Jobduan Morales all had one hit each.

Staten Island 7 - Aberdeen 21
Mark Blackmar worked seven quality innings in his start for Aberdeen. He gave up three earned runs on six hits, one walk and one strikeout. Enrico Jiminez worked one inning, walking one and striking out three.

Jeremy Bleich worked two innings in his start for Staten Island. He allowed two unearned runs on two hits. Taylor Morton allowed six earned runs on three hits, five walks and one strikeout. Evan DeLuca worked two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks. Stefan Lopez allowed six run (five earned) on six hit. Alex Smith worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing six runs (three earned) on five hit. Charles Basford gave up two hits on one-third of an inning.

Ronnie Welty led the IronBirds batters, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and four runs driven in. Doug Bream also had three hits (two double) and drove in four runs. Jerome Pena was the only Aberdeen batter to not collect at least two hits on the night. Anthony Vega and Sam Kimmel both drove in three runs.

Matthew Duran and Matt Snyder both had two hits on the night for Staten Island. Snyder also drove in four runs. Taylor Dugas and Daniel Lopez both had one hit each.

Brooklyn 7 – Hudson Valley 5
Hansel Robles started for Brooklyn and went five innings. He allowed four earned runs on six hits, one walk and one strikeout. Matthew Bowman worked two innings, allowing one earned run on one hit and striking out two. He got the win. Paul Sewald gave up two hits and struck out two in two innings.

Jeff Ames started on the mound for Hudson Valley and went five innings. He allowed three unearned runs on three hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. Rob Finneran was given the blown save for his two innings. He allowed two unearned runs on four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Jose Molina got the loss for his two innings of work. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Michael Williams led the Hudson Valley batters, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs driven in. Thomas Coyle and Justin O'Conner both added two hits on the night. Charles Epperson and Marty Gantt each had one hit.

Stefan Sabol had the best night at the plate for Brooklyn, going 3-for-5 with two doubles. Cole Frenzel added two hits and two runs driven in. Dimas Ponce and Phillip Evans both had one hit. Brandon Nimmo drove in two runs.

 

How last year's Penn Leaguers have performed in 2012 (pt. 2)

By Matthew Coller

With the New York Penn League now in full swing, we reflect back on some of last year's brightest and how they have performed at the next level. In part one, we focused on the South Atlantic League. For part two, we look at the hitters of the Midwest League:

*Name (2011 NYPL team) 2012 statistics

Dean Green (Connecticut Tigers) .306/.381/.502. 9 HR, 16 2B

Green may have been the Penn League's best overall hitter last season and he has not slowed in the Midwest League. The Tigers' 6-foot-4, 255-pound first baseman has come down a little in terms of average from last year when he hit .341, but has carried over his power stroke. What's impressive about Green is that he hits for power, average and works counts and does not strike out (only 39 times in 219 AB's).

Eugenio Suarez (Connecticut Tigers) .312/.406/.455 3 HR, 27 2B. 13 SB, 40 BB

Suarez is a multi-talented utility player, who has played as a middle infielder and outfielder in the Tigers' system. This season the 20-year-old taken his hitting for average and patience up a notch from just .250/.323 last season in the Penn League. He's an aggressive base runn with quickness that gives him the ability to stretch a single into a double or steal a base.

Chih-Fang Pan (Vermont Lake Monsters) .271/.332/.362, 2 HR 10 2B

Pan was one of the Penn League's best hitters for average at .336 last season. The Taiwan native has excellent hand-eye coordination and the ability to drop in hits over the infield to left, right and center field, with a little bit of power to right. He's a smooth second baseman with good hands and footwork around the bag. Pan has some speed but does not steal often.

Sean Jamieson (Vermont Lake Monsters) .243/.360/.380 6 HR, 19 SB

Jamieson is a talented shortstop with plus speed, maybe more, who has improved his hitting in his second professional season. Jamieson will never be a .300 hitter, but has shown a little pop and has the innate ability to work counts and earn walks. His instincts are outstanding, he can read pitchers and steal at an impressive rate (46 steals in 52 attempts in 143 pro games).

Juan Castillo (Batavia Muckdogs) .304/.366/.459, 5 HR, 32 RBI

Castill has been with the Cardinals since 2007 and has grown into a solid for-average hitter, who far prefers to pull the ball. He has mostly gap power, but can take the ball over the left field wall on inside fastballs. Castillo's best two assets are a) his plus-arm and b) his competitiveness. He's the type of leader any team would want behind the plate.

Nick Rickles (Hudson Valley) .295/.358/.404, 4 HR, 5 2B

Last season, Rickles was one of the better catchers in the Penn League hitting .286 with a .376 on-base percentage. At the plate, he's a singles hitter with a little bit of speed. Behind the plate, he's struggled somewhat with the league's faster runners, allowing 47 of 58 to steal successfully.

Jordan Smith (Mahoning Valley) .295/.348/.781, 3 HR, 16 2B, 5 3B

Smith, a former ninth-round pick of the Indians, was one of the Penn League's tougher outs last season hitting .300 with a .403 on-base percentage for the Scrappers. He has the ability to work counts and is very difficult to strike out. His power is limited to the gaps, mostly, but at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, there is room for growth in his strength that might develop into 10-15 home run power at higher levels.

Jeff Malm (Hudson Valley) .302/.385/.521, 9 HR, 25 2B

Malm led the New York Penn League in home runs last season with 12. The 6-foot-3, left-handed power hitter has carried over his power numbers to the next level. Like many home run hitters, he strikes out too often (74 times in 265 AB's this year) but he has solid control of the plate, walking at nearly an identical rate from his NYPL days (38 in 249 AB last season, 34 in 265 in 2012).

There were questions about whether Malm's power could transfer over from the days where he started on Team USA's junior squad over Eric Hosmer. Clearly it has.